Carnival to Pump up to $700M Into Troubled Ships

[1]Troubled cruise line company Carnival (NYSE:CCL[2]) is planning an upgrade for its ships.

According to CNN[3], the company — which has seen some high-profile problems this year — will spend between $600 and $700 million improving its vessels.

In a statement, Carnival said it was launching the “reliability and comfort” project to ensure that power and other amenities are never interrupted on its ships. The effort will cover all the brands — Carnival, Princess Cruises, Holland America, Cunard and Costa Cruises — and 101 ships it owns. The initial phase of the change should be completed within months, but the company would not commit to a date.

While saying the ships are currently safe, the company stresses that the technological changes will improve the performance of the ships in emergencies and in times of normal operation. The new generators will be capable of operating all staterooms, toilets and elevators in event of a main power loss. Following that upgrade will come another round that will protect food storage and cooking.